Shatter
by Whispering Kage
Summary: She smiled, feeling her mask crack and spilt as they stared at her with trust and love. She knew this would hurt them deeply but she had to do it. Cracking mask in place she smiled and opened her mouth ready to let the lies spill forth...


**Shatter**

**Summary: She smiled, feeling her mask crack and spilt as they stared at her with trust and love. She knew this would hurt them deeply but she had to do it. Cracking mask in place she smiled and opened her mouth ready to let the lies spill forth...**

* * *

Kagome bit the inside of her cheek to try and stop her voice form wavering. Her eyes burned with unshed tears that were begging to fall, she blinked them back. She had to be strong, she had to if not for herself then for them.

The ones she called her second family, the people she loved more than herself. People she would die for, had died for. She would do anything for them, just like she would for her own blood relatives. She forced herself to smile, dying inside as they smiled back having no idea what was about to come.

Her mask was perfect, not a crack was there. She looked like her usually happy self, ready to go home to restock on supplies. To take a few tests then come back smiling and ready to venture on.

It was a lie.

She would not be coming back.

Ever.

Her mother had put her foot down after Inu Yasha had brought her back on the brink of death. Truth be told she _had _died for a split second, she stood on the bridge to the after life and saw her father among others.

She hadn't wanted to go leave them, to go back to the world of the living yet the pull of the wells magic along with the jewel broght her back the second they touched down in her era. She had been rushed to the hospital, eyes dull, skin pale, red blood spilling for her various wounds.

She had spent a month in the hospital healing, her mother made up some excuse, half the time she was so drugged up she didn't know what was going on. She had been released not even a few weeks ago. Her mother told her _no more_, _never _again.

She had begged, fought, pleaded, and even threatened. It hadn't worked, her mother had laid down the law, her adventures in the past were to end or she could consider herself disowned.

Dead.

Her heart had shattered, the way her mother looked at her, like she was as stranger it tore her to shreds and her decision was made. She would put an end to her adventures, she just needed time.

Time to distance herself, to prepared herself.

To say goodbye.

Her mother relented and gave her three weeks, no more no less. The well would be sealed with or without her in their time. Her mother could not handle it anymore.

No one could.

"Mah Kagome-chan you promise you won't be long?" She blinked from her thoughts and forced herself to smile at the trusting green eyes of Shippo as he perched on her shoulder, his small hands resting on her face.

She knew he hated it when she left, he viewed her as elder sister if not a mother, and it killed her. She pulled him into a hug and held him tight. He was startled but eagerly returned her hug. She blinked furiously to hold back her tears and pulled back, holding him in her arms, and gave him a small smile.

"Promise." A lie.

She turned to Sango and Miroku, both of whom were starting to catch on that something was wrong and quickly stepped over to them. Shippo hopped out of her arms and settled on Miroku's shoulders.

"You two behave yourselves." She wiggled her eyebrows at the newly engaged couple.

Sango blushed but nodded, her eyes taking in the way Kagome seemed to draw in on herself, she hoped Inu Yasha hadn't upset her again. If he had then the young woman would be gone for a full week instead of the planned two days. Then again she never broke a promise to Shippo, she doubted she would start now.

Kagome _never _broke a promise.

Miroku could feel her aura dance around her in a frenzy and furrowed his eyebrows yet played along and let his hand give a firm squeeze to his fiancés behind. He assumed it had to with Inu Yasha, while they had admitted their feelings for each other, Kikyo was still there in the forefront of the half demons mind.

He would _never _fully love Kagome and she knew that.

"Hentai!" His face stung as she slapped him and he grinned as Kagome laughed and shook her head at him.

"I'm offended you don't trust me lady Kagome." He blinked as she steeped closer and pulled them both into a hug before stepping back and giving them one last bright smile.

"Yeah, yeah she knows how you are you perverted monk." Inu Yasha rolled his eyes as Miroku and stepped up next to Kagome, he could smell her sadness but thought it had to do with the fact that she had ot go take 'tests'. She hated those damn things. Why she kept taking them he would never know.

Instead of ponder it any longer he looked down at her a light blush staining his cheeks, he had recently come to terms with how he felt about the small futuristic miko. He ignored the bystanders and placed a hand on her shoulder giving it a quick affectionate squeeze.

"You sure you don't need me to come?" She shook her head, numb by this point, and gave him a forced smile.

"I'll be fine, you take care of everyone for me." He gave her a cocky grin and pulled her into a one armed hug.

"Keh, of course I will. You be safe on your end. I'll come get you in a few days." A blush stained his cheeks as he pulled away, not used to showing affection.

She rocked on her heels her mask slipping and merely nodded as she turned to jump in the well. She sat on it for a few seconds a few tears leaking form her eyes a she looked up a smile still firmly in place.

"I love you and I'm sorry. Goodbye." She let herself fall back into the well, her tears falling freely from her face as Inu Yasha raced forward to try and grab her.

_"Kagome!"_

She closed her eyes as the wells magic wrapped around her. The last thing she heard was a pained scream.

She sobbed as she landed on the dirt bottom of the well and felt the well's magic disappear, her mother had been true to her word.

The well was sealed.

Her mask shattered.

She sobbed loudly as she sat there her heart shattered and her eyes dull.


End file.
